Manfred, TG9IKE, reports that all UHF and SHF bands will soon be lost to commercial interests in Guatemala. On Monday, November 18, 1996, the Diario de Centro America published the new law regulating all telecommunications in Guatemala, Decreto Numero 94-96, Congreso de la Republica.

The law divides the electromagnetic spectrum into three areas: Bands assigned to amateur radio, bands reserved for goverment use, and the remainder as regulated bands whose frequencies will be auctioned off to the highest bidder, for a term of 15 years. Paragraph 66 contains the listing of the amateur bands to be used in Guatemala after January 18, 1997. All shortwave bands are preserved. The higher band assignments are as follows: 50-54 MHz, 144-148 MHz, 24-24.05 GHz, 47-47.2 GHz, 75.5-76 GHz, 142-144 GHz, and 248-250 GHz

Up to now, the 70cm band in Guatemala, for which some licenses have been issued in the past, comprised the frequencies between 430 to 440 MHz. This range has now been declared available for commercial use.

The new law was created by a commission from the state owned telcommunications company GUATEL, which consulted the Radio Club of Guatemala about the project. The commission was quite astonished to learn that ham operators operate some 20 satellites for global communications, and on request, Guatemalan hams supplied a list of amateur satellites with operating frequencies and modes. The existence of the Amateur Satellite Service was also brought to the attention of the CEO of GUATEL and the chairman of the committee of congress in charge of the compilation of the new telecommunications law in personal meetings, presenting related IARU and ITU documentation.

Possible interference from satellite based transmitters in the 70cm band for commercial users in Guatemala may not be so severe, considering the low signal levels. However, there may be heavy interference to the Amateur Satellite Service when the transponders pick up commercial signals and rebroadcast them on other bands. Even for low orbiting satellites this will affect an area from southern Canada, all of the USA, Mexico, Central and South America down to Chile and Argentina. Taking into account the future operations of P3D, the situation may be even worse.

While looking deeper into this matter, Guatemalan hams learned that the 70cm band is assigned for amateur use on a secondary basis. It remains uncertain whether the satellite subband from 436 to 438 MHz is an exclusive assignment or not, and whether the state of Guatemala has signed an ITU document concerning the use of bands for the Amateur Satellite Service.

The new telecommunications law contains provisions for reassigning frequencies to the amateur service if required by international treaty, so there still remains a chance that at least the 70cm band can be saved if the hams of Guatemala can present a legal proof to their government. Any information regarding this matter should be directed to the Radio Club of Guatemala at the following address:

	        CRAG  (Club de Radio Aficionados de Guatemala)
		Apartado Postal 115
		Ciudad de Guatemala
		GUATEMALA, Centro America
		Phone/Fax 00502-331 4683

AMSAT organizations are also asked to consider this matter and take whatever measures necessary to preserve the 70cm band for non-commercial, amateur use to avoid interference to OSCAR spacecraft. Any statements of concern about the effects of the new telecomunications law of Guatemala should be addressed via diplomatic conduct (Guatemalan Embassy in your country) to:

		Ing. Fritz Garcia-Gallont 
		Ministro de Comunicaciones,
		Transportes y Obras Publicas

Comments and input for SpaceNews should be directed to the editor (John, KD2BD) via any of the paths listed below:

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